Congratulations to both you and your wife!My wife and I are entering the RCIA program next month. I am just curious what to expect. We were given an overview pamphlet that doesn’t really give a lot of info. I’ve heard that these programs can be excellent or terrible depending on where you happen to participate.
A related question…what SHOULD we expect from such a program?
The point of RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is help you become a Catholic. My wife and I have been attending an intensive RCIA program over the last few months. She is still attending, but I dropped out. Along with this experience, I attended a few other sessions at other parishes. So, I have some experience with it. I have to say it can be helpful or boring. The two factors that will affect your experience are the instructors and you. It all depends on the instuctors, their knowledge and philosophical bent. Also, It depends on you and your wife. If you have already studied Catholicism and its faith and practices and have resolved to become Catholic, it will go well, I think. Just be patient and do your homework. If you have other serious concerns and are resolved to get some answers, my advice is not to bother with RCIA. In my case, for example, I simply wanted to feel out Catholicism and then consider convertion. The class, despite the efforts of the kind and courteous staff, was not what I was looking for. You see, I read ALOT and ended up clueing the instructors into to a few things. I have serious philosophical questions with Catholicism, specifically, and Christianity, generally, that cannot be answered by sitting through endless classes of reading the catechism and answering touchy-feely questions. In the end, it did not work out for me. In fact, I have considered returning to Islam.My wife and I are entering the RCIA program next month. I am just curious what to expect. We were given an overview pamphlet that doesn’t really give a lot of info. I’ve heard that these programs can be excellent or terrible depending on where you happen to participate.
A related question…what SHOULD we expect from such a program?
Thanks! We’re excited. It’s been many years searching for truth and I believe I’ve finally recognized the treasure.Congratulations to both you and your wife!
Are you attending RCIA through your home parish?
I enjoyed my RCIA classes, but did not rely on them alone for my understanding of the Catholic Church. I read a LOT–modern writers who are former evangelicals (helps with the “language barrier”), early church fathers, Chesterton, the Catechism (can’t over-emphasize how important that is) etc… The big issues for me were transubstantiation, Sacred Tradition and Mary. I didn’t want to take up class time with a lot of questions, so I read and studied.Thanks! We’re excited. It’s been many years searching for truth and I believe I’ve finally recognized the treasure.
We will be going at our home parish which I’ve heard is good. I’m coming in to it with 25+ years as a Christian…mainly Evangelical/Protestant…but spent some years in an “offshoot” Orthodox Church. I have studied much theology/Church history and apologetics…The Catholic Answers seem the clearest and seem to truly connect the dots, by far, the best. I’m one who “read his way to” the Catholic Church but the Eucharist is really the center of my “draw.” The source and summit of our faith.
You’re welcome–and there are wonderful people on these forums willing to help. God bless you on your journey–as a former AG pastor I found it challenging but so rewarding. There is nothing more satisfying then looking for and finding the Truth, or to quote Lanny Wolfe “Only Jesus can satisfy your soul”!Thanks Gabriel~ I hear you. I do take what people write in the forums with a “grain of salt” but I do appreciate people’s willingness to respond to questions…including yourself. Your suggestions are good thank you.
For better or worse, your experience will likely be shaped by the community (parish) that you are participating in. Practices vary. I was personally glad to read you express the idea that Eucharist is the source and summit…I think that’s key and if you keep that as your focus you will reap huge benefits.Thanks! We’re excited. It’s been many years searching for truth and I believe I’ve finally recognized the treasure.
We will be going at our home parish which I’ve heard is good. I’m coming in to it with 25+ years as a Christian…mainly Evangelical/Protestant…but spent some years in an “offshoot” Orthodox Church. I have studied much theology/Church history and apologetics…The Catholic Answers seem the clearest and seem to truly connect the dots, by far, the best. I’m one who “read his way to” the Catholic Church but the Eucharist is really the center of my “draw.” The source and summit of our faith.